(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to circular knitting machines and, more particularly, to a circular knitting machine having a single cylinder and interchangeable section blocks and sinkers which permit easy conversion between production of fleece and jersey fabrics.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
The term circular knitting covers those weft knitting machines having needle beds arranged in circular cylinders and/or dials including latch, bearded and occasionally compound needle machinery. Such machines produce a wide variety of fabric structures, garments, hosiery and other articles and a variety of diameters and machine gauges. Such machines have the needles fixed in a revolving circle with the loop formation and knitting action being achieved by ancillary elements moving yarn and loops along the needle stems producing a fabric tube with the technical face facing backwards.
Large diameter circular knitting machines are generally used to produce either fleece or jersey fabrics as well as other fabric constructions. Because of the seasonal nature of these fabrics, it is usually necessary to maintain both fleece and jersey machines on the knitting floor or to move machines in and out as seasonal fabric demands change. Both approaches are capital and labor cost intensive.
It is possible with present technology to convert a fleece circular knitting machine to a jersey circular knitting machine, however, this generally requires disassembling the machine down to its bed and replacing the cylinder, section blocks, the carrier ring, needles and sinkers, and often the creel and feeders. At the present time, this is about a 20-hour task for two men. With normally about 50 machines on the floor of a medium size facility, it would take 1/2 man year and about $15,000 per machine to make such a changeover. This is impractical.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved circular knitting machine having interchangeable section blocks and sinkers which allow the machine to be converted between producing fleece and jersey fabrics by simply replacing the section blocks, carrier ring, needles and sinkers without the need to strip the machine to its bed or to change the feeders or creel.